State troopers release new data on Florida's hit-and-run crashes
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- State troopers say 186 people died in hit-and-run crashes in Florida last year.
According to statistics released Monday by the Florida Highway Patrol, more than half the fatalities last year were pedestrians. Officials say hit-and-run crashes also caused over 19,000 injuries last year.
State troopers responded to over 23,000 of the roughly 92,000 hit-and-run crashes reported last year.
Col. Gene Spaulding says drivers have been known leave the scene of a crash because they're scared, they're impaired, they have a suspended driver's license or they lack insurance.
Florida law requires drivers to stop immediately at the scene of a crash that results in injury or death. Leaving the scene of such a crash is a felony with a mandatory minimum sentence of four years in prison.